Brutal reason Henry Cavill missed out on James Bond role

Superman star Henry Cavill came close to becoming Agent 007 but missed out to Daniel Craig – and the director’s reason was jaw-dropping.

Before he became the Man of Steel, Henry Cavill was the Man of Soft.

In the mid-2000s, Cavill, now 36, auditioned for the highly coveted role of James Bond.

For a screen test, he had to walk out of the bathroom in a towel — a la Sean Connery’s portrayal — but was told he wasn’t in good enough shape to play 007.

Henry Cavill: Too “chubby” for Bond, apparently. Picture: Supplied - Warner Bros

“I probably could have prepared better,” Cavill told Men’s Health. “I remember the director, Martin Campbell, saying, ‘Looking a little chubby there, Henry’. I didn’t know how to train or diet.”

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Cavill, who went on to play Superman, wasn’t offended.

“ … I’m glad Martin said something because I respond well to truth,” Cavill explained. “It helps me get better.”

He ultimately lost out to Daniel Craig.

Daniel Craig as Bond in Casino Royale.

In August, Variety reported that the upcoming James Bond movie – expected to be Craig’s final outing as Agent 007 – will be titled No Time To Die.

Cary Fukunaga directed what was previously dubbed Bond 25, taking over filmmaking duties after Danny Boyle departed the project over creative differences. His exit delayed the movie’s release nearly six months from October 2019 to April 2020, according to Variety.

Aside from the director shuffle, No Time to Die suffered a series of setbacks.

In May, Craig - now in his fifth Bond movie - had to undergo minor ankle surgery after sustaining an on-set injury. this followed injuries he suffered on the set of Spectre in 2015 which led Craig to decide to rely more on stunt doubles this time around.

Over the summer, a controlled explosion injured one person and damaged the stage at Pinewood Studios outside London.

The next Bond installment will be Daniel Craig’s last. Picture: AFP

Bohemian Rhapsody star Rami Malek also stars in the latest Bond instalment, along with Léa Seydoux, Ana De Armas and Lashana Lynch.

The most recent Bond movies — Skyfall and Spectre — are the two top-earning instalments in the franchise with $1.6 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively.

The forthcoming saga will be released in April 2020.

HOW CAVILL GOT HIS SUPERMAN BOD

Henry Cavill as Superman. Picture: AP

Henry Cavill says he ate 5,000 calories (over 21,000 kilojoules) a day to bulk up for Man Of Steel.

Cavill has given fans a glimpse into the gruelling fitness regime he undertook to transform his body from “Fat Cavill” to Man Of Steel.

The results are clear in a workout video produced by the 30-year-old when he strips off his shirt to reveal his toned physique.

He credits his trainer Mark Twight with the transformation.

“He’s opened my eyes to seeing past what I thought were my limits. He’s a remarkable man, truly,” he said.

However Cavill revealed that despite his incredible frame, he used to be self-conscious about his body.

“I was fat ... I was Fat Cavill”, he told Details magazine.

“You’ve got to eat protein first, then a little bit of carbs ... you’ve gotta keep your hunger levels going.”

“I’m training two and a half hours a day, pushing my body beyond its normal limits, putting on a lot of muscle mass and just making myself look like Superman,” he said.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission